Moistener.



W. P. 000K.

MOISTEN'ER.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.9,1907.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

7 u 7 i ne vwaufpz dnnen,

claims.

: Irn'the accompanylng drawings, Figure 1 UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM P. cook, yor cr'IIcAGo, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR oF olNEFoURTH ToWILLIAM s.

PEARNE. f

MGISTENER.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1e, 1909.;

Application filed December 9, 1907. Serial No. 405,762.

- clear, .and exact .description of the invention,

such as will enable 'others skilled in the art to 'which it appertainsto make and use thesame.

'Ihe primary objectof this invention is .to provide an improved, simple'and highly eicient automaticaily-controlled moistener, capable of beingllocated wholly Within a cigar-case, lor the like.

A further object is to provide means for taking up all surplus moistureso that a practically uniform humidity may be maintained` And a furtherobject is to provide a inoistener which will be inexpensive, both as Etoconstruction and maintenance, and one which Will not he liable t0readily get out of `order.

The invention will be hereinafter fully sot -forth and particularlypointed out inthe isa diagrammatic View, with parts broken away andvother parte omitted. Fig. 2 is a View in perspective.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a water-containing tank orvessel, referably about the size of a cigar-box. Tie top or cover 'Q ofthis vessel, throughoutthe major portion of its length, is perforated,while the imper-forate portion supports an ordinary incandescentlamp-bulb 3, the space in which the latter is 'located being preferablyseparated from the remaining portion of the vessel by a lperforatedpartition 4. The lamp is electrically-connected with a contact 5 withwhich is designed to coperate a circuit closer 6 which iselectrically-connected through wiring 7 to the source of supply.v InFig. 2 I have shown such wiring as provided with an ordinary plug 8 forinsertion in a lamp socket. The circuit closer is mounted on the upperend of a s ring. plate 9, and in close juxtaposition to t grometer 10composed, preferably, of a piece of vulcanized fiber and a piece ofmetal, rivated together.- The expansion of the fiber will cause thehyg'rometer tobend so as to bear against plate 9 and by its ressureeffeet a break between circuit c oser 6 and contact- 5. Thishygroineter, together with the circuit closer and contact, arepositioned within a tubular body 12,l open at its upper end andpreferably formed with perforartions 13. From the lower end of'thistubular lbody extends a screw 14 to enable the hygrometer, .and itsinclosing body, to be readily positioned within a cigar case, or thelike,by screwing into the floor or a separatey block located therein.Extending through the -inclosing body 12 is a screw 15 by which thehygrometer may be controlled Aby regulating its travel, and/'thus makeits operation dependent upor inorel or. less moisture, -as desired. l

In practice, when the circuit closer 6 is in engagement with contact-"the lamp 3 will be lighted, and the heat thereof will raise thetemperature of the Water above that of the surrounding atmosphere,thereby 'cre` ating moisture throughout the entire case. Avn increase intheI humidity suicient to alect the hygrometer I,to an extent to breakcontact will extinguishtthe lamp, but as soon as the humidity lowers thelamp will be relighted and evaporation renewed.

In Fig. l I have shown, in addition to the elements hereinbeforedescribed, an electrically-controlled drier l16, whichnmy be of anypreferred construction, and 'which is in circuit with a second contact17 with which circuit. closer 6 is designed to engage, under the actionofthe hygroineter, when forced from engagement with contact 5. In thisway, when the lamp is out of circuit, the drier Amay be in circuit.Thus, by alternately placing u1 circuit the lamp and the drier, apractically uniform humidity may 'be maintained within a cigar-caso orthe like. I-t is not necessary, however, that the drier he employed, butin some instances its use is desirable. t

The advantages of my invention will be lapparent from what has beenstated. It is manifest that -alllof the parts thereof may he locatedwholly within a single case, and that the humidityv within such case maybe kept practically uniform. It will also be observed that the devicemay be set to deliver a greater or less volume of moisture bysimply'turning the adjusting screw 14. No

moisture is generated` except when the lamp is burnin and the lamp burnsonly when moisture 1s needed. Likewise the drier takes upthe moistureonly when there is an excess thereof.v ',The-f device is entirelyautomatic in operatiomand maybaused in vaults with highl satisfactoryresults.

,l1 c aim asmyfinvention:

" l. A 'ribistener comprising 'fa Water-cony taining vessel designed tobe located Wit-hin a case the humidit of which is to be con` trolled, aheater su merged in saidvessel to eiiect the evaporation of the Water,and

means for controlling such heater.

A 'i moistener comprising .a .Water-con- I taining vessel designed tobelocated Within eration of the Water, and means for con-` trolling thecurrent supply to said lamp-v a case thef'humidity of which is to becontrolled, an incandescent electric lamp-bulb submerged insaid Vesselto eect the evap` 3. A moistener comprising a Water-con` taining vesseldesi ed to be located Within a case the humi ity of which is to beregulated, electrically-controlled means for ei'iecting the evaporationof the Water, and means or automatically cutting on and ofi' the currentto such electrically-controlled cans.

Il. A moistener comprising, in combination, a Water-containing vesseldesigned to be located Within a case the humidity of which is to becontrolled, a heating element for lthe Water, means for controlling suchheating element, and a hygrometer for actu- 'lamp-bulb surrounded by theWater insaid vessel, la circuit-closer, andl a hygometer for. actuatingsuch closer, all of said elements bein I constructed and arranged to belocated Whoizly Within a cigar-case, or the like.`

8. Amoistener comprising, in combination, 'Y a Water-contammg vesseldesignedto be lov masia cated Within a cigar-case, or tl .e like, anelectrical heatingelement, a circuit-closer, a hygrometer for actuatingsuch closer, a tube inclosing such hygrometer, and means for supportingsuch tube.

9. A moistener comprising, in combination, a Water-containing vesseldesigned to be located Within a cigar-case, or the like, an electricalheating element, a circuit-closer, a srometer for actuating such closer,a tube incosing such hygrometer, means for supporting such tube, and anadjusting screw mounted in said tube and vdesigned to control themovement of said hygrometer.

10. A moistener comprising, in combination, a Water-containing vessel,an electric heating element, a circuit-closer, a hygrometer foractuating such closer, a tube inclosing such hygrometer, and means forsupporting such tube, all of said elements being constructed andarranged to be located Wholly Within a cigar-case, or the like.`

1l. ln combination With a moistener, and an electrically-operatedheating element, of an electrically-controlled drier, and a hygrometerfor controlling the circuit to the heating element and drier.

l2. In combination with a moistener,l and an electrically-operatedheating element, of an electrical-ly-cont-rolled drier, and a hygrometerfor alternately placing the heating element and drier in circuit.

13. In combination, a Water-containing vessel, an electric lamp-bulbtherein, a hygrometer, a circuit-closer actuated by the latter, a tubeinclosing such hygrometer, and a plug electrically connected to saidcircuitcloser.

l-l. In combination, a Water-containing vessel, an electric lamp-bulbtherein, a hygrometer, a circuit-closer actuated by the latter, a tubeinclosing such hygrometer, a drier in circuit With said lamp-bulb, and aplug electrically connected to said circuitcloser, said hygrometeralternately placing the lamp-bulb and drier in circuit.

lIn testimony whereof, I have signed'this specification in the presenceof tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM n coon. llitnesses:

' CARL W. ANDERSON,

E. .M. Conwln.

